A godown belonging to Manipur’s Minister of Public Health Engineering and Consumer Affairs L Susindro Meitei was torched by a mob in Imphal East district on Friday night, reported PTI.
An attempt was also made to burn the Bharatiya Janata Party leader’s home in the Khurai area of the district. However, it was prevented by security forces who fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the mob.
The attack on the minister’s properties comes a day before an all-party meeting in Delhi, called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to discuss the situation in Manipur.
Manipur has witnessed ethnic clashes between Meiteis and Kukis since May 3 that have left more than 100 persons dead, over 300 injured and thousands displaced. The violence broke out after thousands of people participated in a protest march to oppose the demand of the majority Meiteis to be included in the Scheduled Tribes category.
Angered mobs have attacked the homes of several elected politicians in Manipur, including Union Minister RK Ranjan Singh, state ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Govindas Konthoujam and Uripok MLA Raghumani Singh, Sugnoo MLA K Ranjit Singh, and Naoriya Pakhanglakpa MLA S Kebi Devi.
Several Opposition parties have criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP governments at the Centre and the state for not doing enough to end the violence in Manipur.
Also Read | Reporter’s Diary: I crossed ‘no man’s land’ in Manipur
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